San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-07
EPILOGUE.
AFTER LONG YEARS.

"Grandpapa! Yes, surely l see
carriage approaching now between the
clumps of leafless trees marking the
meeting of the crossroads | think it
is a carriage, but-ohl take the glass
yourself, grandpapa, and see whether
-
The speaker, a slender graceful maid
en-, half-girl ELECTROMAGNETIC all siren
surely, if symmetry of form and per-
lection of feature may still be supposed
in this degenerate age to exercise their
world-old influence over the sons of
men-turned a flushed and glowing face
towards the grey-beard standing close
beside her, holding out in hand which
trembled somewhat, the costly mother
of-pearl opera-glass through which,
standing on tiptoe on the broad win
dow seat-she had for some long min
utes past been anxiously scanning the
horizon, in order to obtain the earliest
possible glimpse of a certain convey
ance which was expected to make its
way about this time through the snow
covered country surrounding Burn
ham. For, reader, once again it is
Christmas Eve, albeit five long years
have rolled away since the events mar
rated in the last chapter. London and
the adjacent hamletS are once more
covered with a spOtless frozen pail of
snow; the service of trains between the
metropolis and the nearest station"
is still girt with many inconvenience
for the inhabitants of the Burnham
district, so that travellers in many in
stances yet avail themselves of the
hackney-coach mode of progression,
despite of obvious drawbacks, Drawing
hn Of ha road in, 20
being deposited by trains half-a-dOZen
miles right or left of their immediate
destination, in land where cabs ''are
not" and the friendly omnibus is I'M
known.
mo, child" returned the barOnet-
for he who stands beside the girl is
none other than Sir Jasper, marvellous
ly mellowed, softened, chastened by the
years which have sped since we saw
him last-as with tender smile he
pushed back the prOffered glass.
"YOur eyes are younger than mine
besides, It's you, not |, who should be
privileged to obtain the first glimpse of
the coming guest"
Space forbids we should do more than
glance at those incidents, strewn thick
as blackberries along life's high road,
which had marked the intervening
years; it will be sufficient for our pur-
pose briefly here, and now, to state that
the fullest investigation, instituted by
the baronet through properly qualified
agencies, had but served to confirm and
substantiate beyond all manner of
doubt his original and. in the first in
stance, almost unaccountable suspic-
ion that the girl Greta-incidentall
mentioned by DIR. Hollingshead in his
painful account of the death Of the
pauper at st. Georges Hospital-was
none other than the sole surviving child
of Sir Jasper Earle's own Inflated
daughter, that fair frail Greta who had
so tragically expiated, not only all filial
delinquencies, but likewise the fOllies
| of her misspent life.
The chain of evidence extending over
some half-dozen years, was easily
traced back to the poor young mothers
death. Greta's memory proved remark
ably reliable; her shrewdness and pre-
| cOcity, of which ample proof has al
ready appeared in this narrative, far
bevOnd her wears: and thus aided. the
ITO be Conunued.l